Short Biography

Brian Foster joined MU as the Chief Academic Officer in August of 2005. Prior to that, he served as Provost at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. His previous academic appointments include Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Graduate Dean at Arizona State University, where he also served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology.

The first in his family to pursue a college education, Dr. Foster began his studies at Northern Illinois University where he earned his degree in History. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan. His studies and research focused on the social anthropology of Southeast Asian cultures, primarily Thailand. He is fluent in Thai and German.

Foster has served as President of the Western Association of Graduate Schools, member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools, Chair of the GRE Board, member of the TOEFL Policy Council, and a member of the Executive Committees of two NASULGC Councils: the Council of Research and Graduate Education and the Council on Academic Affairs. He was Chair of the Executive Committee of the Council on Academic Affairs, NASULGC, and currently serves as an ad hoc member of that committee.

Dr. Foster and his wife Lerke Foster are parents to Catherine, who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and practices medicine in Dearborn and Tom Foster, who is a graduate of the MU School of Journalism and currently works in New York City as a magazine editor.

Provost Foster works closely with constituents both on and off campus focusing on MU's contributions to the economic development of Missouri and access to higher education for all Missourians.

For more information please contact Teresa Davis, Executive Staff Assistant, (573) 882-6596 or by E-Mail: DavisTL@missouri.edu.